


Flaw in the Code

by crownedcryptid



Series: Dave & Abby [2]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Computers, Depression, F/M, Gaming, Grief/Mourning, Love, Romance, Suicide, dream - Freeform, programing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-10-01 02:56:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10179140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crownedcryptid/pseuds/crownedcryptid
Summary: Dave works day and night to create a game in memory of his love, but runs into an unexpected delay...





	

DATA CORRUPTED  
That’s just about the worst thing I could have woken up to today. The only worse thing would’ve been not waking up at all, being straight-up dead. I may as well be dead; without this computer I’m nothing. This machine is my livelihood. Every morning I get up and work, then sleep only to get up and work again. I’m making a game, a game that will change the world. All the game’s coding, art, everything is stored on this computer. Now it’s what, corrupted? What the hell do I do?  
Wait, this is the sort of problem an IT person could fix! I just got a flier from a new place the other day, where'd I put that? I looked at the heap of garbage scattered throughout my apartment, for once I’m glad I didn’t take the trash out this week. Actually, this month, or has it been two months? Whatever, not like anyone but me sees this place.  
I rummaged through the trash pile dedicated to junk mail and a few paper cuts later I found the flier. Gill’s Computer Repair Shop, that sounds trustworthy enough. I’ll just call them and pray they can send someone over to fix my problem. Hang on, call? As in, talk to someone over the phone? Damn I haven’t done that since I ordered take-out two weeks ago. Hopefully this Gill guy is used to talking with socially inept people, n-not that I am one.  
I got up to grab my cell phone, I fell asleep listening to music so it must’ve fallen off my bed. I looked under and sure enough it was there, along with some other “goodies”. I went ahead and just pulled out everything that was under there since I knew future-me wouldn’t want to. While doing so I came across a photo album, I opened it and wasn’t surprised by it’s contents. It was filled to the brim with pictures of me, and her, smiling. Now I see why I tossed this under the bed, but this is a pretty good motivator. I need to finish this game not just for myself or the playerbase, but for her.  
I dialed the number from the flier onto my phone and after a few rings I was greeted by a raspy voice. For some reason, I felt a sensation of déjà vu.  
“Hello! This is Gill’s Computer Repair Shop, what do ya need?”  
“Um-Yeah hi! My computer is giving me some sort of error message whenever I boot it, could you come check it out?”  
“Come check it out? Sorry kiddo but we don’t do house visits, ya gotta bring that thing ovah if ya want my help.”  
Sorry oldy but leaving my house is no easy task, “Alright. Sorry I’ll call somewhere else-”  
“Hey hey hold it kid! Tell ya what if you come down here I’ll give ya a discount! Business has uh...been pretty slow lately not gonna lie.”  
“Oh alright,” I had to nonchalantly deny his offer, “I’ll think about it. Sorry to hear that about your business. Must suck considering you just opened.”  
“Just opened? My shop’s been here a year-and-a-half now!”  
Seriously, this flier is from last year? My internal clock must be going haywire.  
“Whatevah kid, I betta see ya soon,” he sighed and hung up.  
Damn, now what? I could call some place else and get someone to come here but, that’d probably cost more. I don’t have much money left and-oh shit I’d have to clean too. Guess I’ll settle with Gill’s.  
I began to unplug my computer and coil its cords.  
“When was the last time I went outside?” I wondered.  
I seriously couldn’t remember. Could've been yesterday, could’ve been three months ago. Who cares not like I’m gonna burn up in the sunlight or anything. I just have to walk down to the store, get my computer fixed, come up with a bunch of lies in case Gill tries to talk to me, and walk back home. E-Easy peasy.  
I changed my clothes, grabbed my wallet, phone, desktop, and opened the door. It was really bright out, as if someone pissed-off the sun. I stood at my door for a while to allow my eyes to adjust. Once that painful biological process was done I walked out and immediately stepped on yet another piece of junk mail. Must have fallen out of my flimsy mailbox, it was a flier for some annual game convention. I kicked it aside and started walking, why would anyone participate in something like that? Why be in a convention center filled with sweaty freaks who know next-to-nothing about the medium they’re so in love with. Just a bunch of morons looking for the next mindless first person shooter or fighting game to sink their rotten teeth into. They don’t understand what makes games special, I’ll show them all.  
After a long walk, and a few embarrassing run-ins I made it to the shop. I think it was the right place, looked nothing like the flier but maybe they had renovations. I hope they aren’t at a completely new address, I’ll look like a total idiot walking in some random other store sweating my ass off carrying my computer.  
A few deep breaths later I went inside. To no one’s surprise I walked into the wrong store! Or did I? Looked like an IT place but there was no Gill in sight. There was no one there except some girl at the front counter. She had a blue uniform on and was smiling at me the instant I walked in. She was sorta cute so naturally, I only got sweatier.  
“Good morning! How can I help you today?” she greeted, chipperly.  
Oh no what do I say! Should I ask her to help with the computer or should I ask if I’m even in the right store. I couldn’t keep her waiting so I just nervously blurted out-  
“B-Broken.”  
“Broken?” she tilted her head, “What’s broken?”  
Nothing just my life, social tolerance, possibly my left pinky toe and-wait-  
“My computer’s broken!” I shouted with urgency.  
“Oh no! That’s not good at all!” she said with urgency. Was she mocking me?  
Relax Dave, you can do this. I sighed, collected myself, and placed my computer on the counter.  
“I-I’m sorry. I’m a little worn out from walking all the way down here,” I said wiping the sweat from my face.  
“That’s ok,” she said, “Would you like some water?”  
“No thanks, I’ll be fine.”  
She’s offering water? Gill seemed like the kinda guy who’d be pissed if he found out that she-hang on-  
I should’ve asked this first, “This is Gill’s Computer Repair, right?”  
“Yup!” she replied, “Wait, are you the goofball Gill kept going on about earlier?”  
I gave her a bewildered look.  
“Gill said some guy called earlier and thought this was a new store that did house visits. He was laughing about it for hours.”  
Laughing, what a jerk. I don’t see what’s so funny about that.  
She continued, “Anyway Gill had to leave early to help his brother with something so he left the shop to me. He told me to ‘help out that goofball if he ever shows up’. So what’s the problem exactly?”  
“Oh well-erm-this morning when I booted my computer it gave me a blue screen. It said data corrupted and some other techy stuff that didn’t really make sense to me.”  
She thought for a second, “Did you try turning it off and on again?”  
...Is she messing with me?  
“Just kidding!” she giggled, “Let’s set this up in the back room and I’ll see what I can do.”  
I picked the computer and we walked behind the counter into a poorly-lit room with a bunch of desks and monitors set up. On the way in I got a glimpse at the girl’s name tag, her name is Abby.  
To avoid awkward silence while we were setting up the computer, Abby began to ask questions. She asked about typical stuff like my name, where I live, but soon she asked the one question I’ve been trying to dodge.  
“What do you do for work?”  
Oh boy. Yeah I’m a game designer, but it’s not like I get paid for that. The only income I have is whatever small loan my dad begrudgingly sends my way. I suppose Abby doesn’t need to know that second part.  
“I’m a game developer,” I said little confidence.  
Abby seemed surprised, “Woah! That’s interesting, what company do you work for?”  
“Well actually, I’m an independent developer. I don’t work for anyone and well...I still haven’t finished my first game.”  
There was a brief pause before Abby went and said, “Oh...I see. Guess that means this computer is pretty important for you.”  
I mumbled, “Yeah…”  
After a few minutes, Abby got my computer hooked up and explained to me what the problem was. Of course I had no idea what she meant, something about the CPU I think, anyways I just pretended to understand and let her do her geeky thing. As she worked I pulled out my phone and acted as if I was texting someone when in reality I was just shuffling my apps around. Soon enough, Abby was finished.  
“All set,” she said as she stretched and sat down.  
“Awesome! Thank you so much-”  
“You know, my friend is an independent developer,”  
Huh? She said that with a tone that indicated she wanted to go on a tangent. I guess I’ll listen, it’s better than being told a price. But why is she bringing this up now? Why didn’t she share this earlier?  
“Oh really now,” I said trying to sound interested.  
“Yeah, he’s really obsessed with his work. He just sits in his house all day working, sometimes he forgets to eat and sleep. I try calling and texting him to try and get himself to take a break, but he rarely answers. If he does answer, it’s usually with something rude. I just...I mean you aren’t like that, right?”  
Actually that sounds so much like me it’s uncanny.  
I pondered for a bit and answered, “No, o-of course not. I am very passionate about my game but I always try to take care of myself.”  
Liar!  
“There’s that word, passionate,” Abby replied with melancholy, “My friend always says he’s passionate so he can’t stop working, but I don’t think that’s true. That might be a lie he tells himself. I don’t think he’s passionate about making his game, I think he’s just passionate about escaping from the world.”  
Alright this is starting to freak me out. Am I dreaming right now? Is this girl my subconscious or something? I came here to get my desktop fixed not to be given a therapy session.  
Abby continued, “I think he’s afraid of leaving his house. He’s afraid of making bonds with anyone in the outside world because he knows they will all end the same way. Like what happened with his...with his…”  
His girlfriend? Because that’s exactly what happened, to me.  
Suddenly my computer booted up, and my wallpaper appeared. I made my wallpaper something, no, someone important to me. To keep me motivated, to keep me passionate. It was a picture of me and-  
“Dave,” Abby said, “I don’t care about the game, I care about your happiness.”  
This really is just a dream isn’t it. I remember now, I have had this dream almost every night since she, since Abby, died. Although I feel like it’s never gone on this long before. This is more than just a dream, this is an authentic message from, beyond.  
Abby began to cry, “I know we would always talk about our game, but honestly it was just a lame dream. I don’t care about it, I care about you. Please, stop using this game as an excuse. You need to take care of yourself, you need to make new friends. You lost me but, just remember how much fun we had being together when we could.”  
She stood up and hugged me, my vision became blurred. I wasn’t crying it was, some other phenomenon.  
“Everyone dies eventually! You can’t just end it here! You need to live and-”  
She kept talking but I couldn’t hear the rest. All I could hear was what sounded like radio static. I couldn’t feel her holding me anymore either, and soon I couldn’t see anything. B-But what was she trying to say! I need to hear it!  
Despite my resistance, I woke up. I woke up in my bathroom, laying on the floor clutching a pill jar. It was still full so I guess I didn’t do anything drastic. Abby saved me.  
I got up and threw the jar away. Upon exiting the bathroom I stepped on a flier. It was for that annual game convention.  
Maybe I should go this year.


End file.
